Businesses large and small have opened, enhancing retail, dining, historical
SOMERS POINT — “We had a lot of good stuff start in 2021,” City Council President Janice Johnston said last week while looking back at last year’s successes and forward to more to come.
The commercial real estate agent said there is a lot of interest in Somers Point right now.
Johnston pointed to three projects she called “well into the works.”
— Scarborough Properties is developing the Somers Point Paddle Club, a private swim club with a bar and grille on the former site of Bubba Mac’s Shack at 520 Bay Ave.
— Ocean City-based Coastal Christian is planning a three-story, 99-room destination hotel with a church and community center on the north side of MacArthur Boulevard. The concept is a church inside a community center attached to a destination hotel, keeping the majority of the property on the tax rolls.
— Jack Leonard, a principle in Bayview Court Apartments, is developing a parking lot across Shore Road. The project involves the demolition of five boarded-up homes to make way for a 73-space lot and six duplexes off Pleasant and Sunset avenues.
“We want to keep those three projects moving forward,” she said, noting that negotiations are ongoing. “Those three are just great. Two of those properties are eyesores that need to be redeveloped and the Paddle Club will be a great venue for our city, a nice, classy, high-end swim club.”
Last year the city got a major boost when Target opened Oct. 19 in the former Kmart site at Somers Point Plaza. Owned by Brahin Properties, the shopping center between Route 9 and Bethel Road has been one of the main retail complexes in the city since the 1960s.
“It’s so immense for Somers Point, and all of the stores here in this plaza and surrounding will benefit from this because people will come and see the other things Somers Point has to offer and go there,” Mayor Jack Glasser said at the time.
Other stores that opened last year include Taco Bell, Cornhole Craze, Surf’s Up and Drip and Scoop.
“That’s a good sign, that they want to be here,” Johnston said. “There are a lot of other things people are talking about, coming to us with ideas, so hopefully we can get a couple more projects.”
City Administrator Jason Frost said momentum has been building for some time and many of the steps the city has taken to boost its economy are really just now coming to fruition. He sees it as a sign of better things to come.
“Any time you have development like this it breeds more development. Businesses see the investment and it’s further confirmation of the viability of the city,” Frost said.
One of the upcoming projects Johnston mentioned is the plan to open a café at the site of the closed Footmarks Shoe Store at 920 Shore Road. That would be a shot in the arm for the area just north of the Route 52 causeway entrance to Ocean City and also tie in with the city’s historical tourism.
“They are going to bring the building back to what it used to look like since it’s in our historic district,” Johnston said of the plan.
Attorney Michael Peacock, who represented property owner 920 Shore Road LLC before the Planning Board in September, said the ownership group plans to convert the existing building into a general store-type market and café serving mostly prepared foods. He said the interior would be gutted and a kitchen added in the rear.
Historical tourism
The Footmarks site is across the street from the Atlantic County Historical Society Museum and, to the south, Somers Mansion. The latter is the city’s historical gem and the oldest home in Atlantic County. Interest in the building and grounds has been gaining steam for years as the nonprofit Patriots for Somers Mansion has been working to restore it, partially through hosting public events and fundraisers there.
Johnston said there is plenty of room on the property to hold events, noting there are plans for a farmers market this year.
“It’s so nice. You’re up high, looking out over the water and it’s just an amazing property that we need to take advantage of,” Johnston said. “We have a lot of history in our town and that will be one way to get it out there.”
Also part of the historic district are the Richard Somers Memorial at the old city hall and the Somers Point Historical Museum, all within easy walking distance.
The opening of Josie Kelly’s Public House in 2018 in the former Mac’s Restaurant building at 908 Shore Road brought significant new energy to the area, which includes Gregory’s Bar and Restaurant.
“It’s definitely created a lot more foot traffic — that’s always been a busy area anyway,” Johnston said.
She said the city is looking into ways to make the area safer by adding crosswalks and other traffic-calming measures but noted that would require county approval.
Johnston said she also wants to draw more attention to the city’s music history.
“We have great music history with Tony Marts and some of the musicians who started in Somers Point,” she said, noting the tradition continues with the annual summer beach concert series. “We have unbelievable talent coming to our little beach in Somers Point every Friday night.”
Other things happening in the city in 2022 include development of a dog park in the sports complex.
Johnston said Doug Shallcross, head of Community Education and Recreation, was hired last year to work on improving the events the city already hosts and to look at adding others.
City Council reconstituted
Johnston was re-elected as president of Somers Point City Council during its reorganization meeting Jan. 7. Likewise, Councilman Howard Dill was re-elected as president pro tempore, or backup.
Both were re-elected to council in November, Johnston handily defeating challenger Lisa Bender to win her first full term and Dill running unopposed. He has served on City Council since winning his first election in 2009.
Johnston is chair of the Economic Development Advisory Commission and Personnel-Police, Schools/Library and Shore Medical Center committees.
Dill is chair of the COAH/Redevelopment Subcommittee, Public Works/Sewer Utility, Master Plan/Steering Committee, Parking/Traffic, Personnel, Zoning/Construction Office/Code Enforcement and a member of the Planning Board.
Ward I Councilman Sean McGuigan and Ward II Councilman Mike Owen each won their seat unopposed in 2019 and would have to run again in November to keep their position.
McGuigan, the elder statesman on the governing body, first was elected to City Council in 2007, then re-elected in 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019. He is chairman of the Environmental Commission/Green Team/Green Thumb Garden Club, Finance and Budget, Recreation Commission, and Tax Assessor/Tax Collector.
Owen is serving his first term and is chair of the Marina Committee.
Councilman Joseph McCarrie Jr. won the at-large seat in 2020 held by Carl D’Adamo for the previous 16 years. D’Adamo chose not to seek re-election.
“Sometimes when you have the same people for a long time nothing seems to get done, but I think we have the right group of people to help the city move forward,” McCarrie said.
McCarrie is chair of the Community Relations/Veterans Organizations/Business Association Committee. The at-large seat is a four-year term.
Ward I Councilwoman Stacy Ferreri and Ward II Councilwoman Karen Bruno also won election in 2020 and have two more years remaining on their term. Bruno is chair of the Arts Commission/Gateway Committee.
Mayor Jack Glasser continues in that role. He won his fourth term as mayor in 2019 and would be up for re-election in 2023. Glasser is chairman of the Public Safety-Police/Fire/Rescue/OEM Committee.
Story and photos by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff